Victims today warned the major public inquiry into child abuse must continue despite the surprise resignation of its third chairwoman.

Dame Lowell Goddard shocked campaigners with her decision to quit last night, citing the 'legacy of failure' from the inquiry's repeated false starts and the challenges of working so far from her native New Zealand.

Dame Lowell's decision, which was accepted by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, came hours after criticism of her £500,000 a year pay and benefits package.

Victim representatives said while the resignation was 'frustrating' the work of the inquiry must continue despite concerns being raised today by former DPP Lord Macdonald the probe was becoming 'unmanageable'.

Labour MP Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, today said he wanted Dame Lowell to fully explain her resignation to MPs.

Dame Lowell Goddard has resigned as head of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Ms Rudd has insisted the inquiry will continue 'without delay' as she begins her search for a replacement. Dame Lowell was herself the third appointment after Baroness Butler-Sloss and then Dame Fiona Woolf were earlier given the job.

The massive inquiry, which includes 13 different investigations, is expected to last at least ten years and is due to consider allegations of abuse dating back decades.

Mr Vaz today said it was 'not enough' for the New Zealander to 'resign and leave' and invited Dame Lowell to give evidence to his Commons committee.

He said: 'Serious questions need to be asked about why the Home Office has not monitored events more carefully.'

The Home Office created a package for Dame Lowell Goddard that made her Britain's best paid civil servant.

Her basic salary was £360,000 and the deal was worth £500,000 a year including all benefits.

Dame Lowell's rent, car, driver and £12,000-a-year utility bills allowance were all picked up by the taxpayer.

Four business-class return flights to New Zealand for her and her husband, plus two return economy flights a year for her children, were also part of her package.

The cost of all these flights would have cost about £55,000 a year.

Before she even took the job, the judge billed the Home Office for £15,000 in first class flights for her and her husband.

Campaign groups and politicians have called for a replacement to be found 'urgently' but Ms Duckworth said necessary work to put in place support for victims and survivors has been ongoing and must be allowed to continue.

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'It's not called the Goddard inquiry, it's the independent inquiry; there are many staff there that are working extremely hard to lay down the infrastructure, which they have done as a foundation.

'We need to make sure that, going forward, survivors that are encouraged to come and share their story with the inquiry are well supported and that is what is taking the time.

'This is a huge undertaking and it would be wrong to instantly start hearing evidence having not put those policies and procedures in place.'

She added: 'It's obviously a very frustrating situation, I'm sure not least for Justice Goddard.

'She did an incredible job, she has set an ethos which puts survivors right at the front of the inquiry.

'I'm frustrated by the situation, I don't think anybody isn't, but I think Justice Goddard gave up a lot, she came over to England from the other side of the world and she worked very hard, she was incredibly professional.'

Justice Goddard, who was appointed in April 2015, tendered her resignation to Home Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured)

Ms Duckworth continued: 'We need to continue the work that we are doing and there are many staff there who are very committed, who are very good at their jobs, who are working very hard.

'This inquiry has never happened on this magnitude ever, so there is no point in comparing it to other inquiries like Hillsborough - it is very, very different.'

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who campaigned for the inquiry to be set up, urged Ms Rudd to make clear her continued support for the investigation today.

TIMELINE: HOW THE TROUBLED INQUIRY INTO CHILD ABUSE HAS HAPPENED

July 7, 2014 - Theresa May, then home secretary, announces a public inquiry with the remit of investigating whether 'state and non-state institutions' have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse within England and Wales. Its chairwoman will be Baroness Butler-Sloss, a retired High Court judge.

July 9 - Baroness Butler-Sloss faces calls to quit due to a potential conflict of interest over a family connection. Her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general in the 1980s. Then prime minister David Cameron stands by the appointment.

July 14 - Baroness Butler-Sloss steps down.

September 5 - Dame Fiona Woolf, a leading tax lawyer and then Lord Mayor of the City of London, is appointed as the new chairwoman of the inquiry.

October 22 - Child sex abuse victim launches a legal challenge against Dame Fiona's appointment over her suitability for the role. She is accused of having 'close association' with Lord Leon Brittan, the late Labour peer against whom allegations of sex abuse were later dropped.

October 31 - Dame Fiona quits as chairwoman.

February 4, 2015 - Mrs May tells the House of Commons she is disbanding the former inquiry into child sex abuse and setting up a new statutory inquiry. Dame Lowell Goddard - described as 'one of the most respected and experienced judges in the Commonwealth' - is announced as its chairwoman.

March 12 - New inquiry is set up with same remit as first.

April 29 - Dame Lowell announces the inquiry will conduct a full investigation into the issues surrounding the allegations of sexual abuse against Lord Greville Janner, citing 'clear public interest' over the adequacy of institutional responses to allegations against public figures.

July 9 - Dame Lowell officially opens the inquiry.

October 16 - Former child protection manager Peter McKelvie resigns from the inquiry's Victims' and Survivors Consultative Panel as it is revealed that he may face questioning over his own handling of pursuing allegations of child sex abuse.

November 27 - Inquiry announces its first 12 investigations and Dame Lowell says she is committed to completing the in inquiry in five years.

December 19 - Lord Janner dies aged 87.

March 9, 2016 - Inquiry holds first hearing on the investigation into allegations against Lord Janner.

August 4 - Dame Lowell writes to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to offer her resignation citing her career and family life.

He told the BBC: 'First of all she needs to reassure people that she's still committed to this inquiry, that it will be far-reaching, it will be properly resourced, and have the powers it needs to get to the truth.

'I hope she will be able to explain precisely why Lowell Goddard is gone, I think that's important, but also provide reassurance and a remedy to this very shortly.'

Mr Watson endorsed the structure of the inquiry, which is due to bring together 13 separate investigations - including allegations of abuse at Westminster, in the Church and online.

But the former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald said the inquiry was becoming 'unmanageable' and Ms Rudd must 'take a whole fresh look at this'.

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'As for finding someone to take this on, this is going to be extraordinarily difficult.

'I can think of many people who would be qualified. I can't think of many, if any, who would be prepared to take it.

'This is now seen not so much as a poisonous chalice as a lethal injection and I think it is going to be very difficult for the Home Secretary to find someone to take this on.'

He added: 'The means by which it was set up and its original scope were far too wide and we have got to have the courage to recognise that and to redesign it.'

Justice Goddard, who admitted after her appointment that she was unfamiliar with British law, was selected by Theresa May in February last year.

In a statement following her resignation, the judge said she had found the job a 'struggle' and said she missed her 'beloved family' in New Zealand.

Announcing the resignation, the Home Secretary said: 'I can confirm that Dame Lowell Goddard wrote to me today to offer her resignation as chair of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and I have accepted.

'I want to assure everyone with an interest in the inquiry, particularly victims and survivors, that the work of the inquiry will continue without delay and a new chair will be appointed.

'I would like to thank Dame Lowell Goddard for the contribution she has made in setting up the inquiry so that it may continue to go about its vital work.'

Justice Goddard, who was appointed in April 2015, quit last night in a resignation letter that was sent to Ms Rudd.

She wrote: 'I regret to advise that I am offering my resign as chair of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, with immediate effect. I trust you will accept this decision.'

Accepting the resignation, Ms Rudd replied: 'I know that this will have been a difficult decision for you to make, and something you will have carefully considered.

'I was sorry to receive your letter, but I accept your decision.'

Ms Rudd described the inquiry as the 'most ambitious public inquiry ever established in England and Wales' and praised Justice Goddard for her work.

'I know how personally committed you have been to ensuring that the inquiry is a success for those at its heart: the survivors and the victims,' Ms Rudd wrote.

'You have consistently demonstrated your desire to leave no stone unturned in order that the voices of those victims might be heard.

'It is a testament to your commitment that you have taken the difficult decision to stand down now, having set the inquiry firmly on course, and allow someone else to lead it through to the end.

'With regret, I agree that this the right decision.'

Dame Lowell Goddard spent 70 days abroad during her first year heading an abuse inquiry

Justice Goddard spent more than 70 days of her first year in job abroad or on holiday, it was emerged yesterday.

During her first 12 months in the £500,000-a-year role, she spent 44 working days abroad and 30 days on annual leave.

She earned a basic salary of £360,000, but her rent, car, driver and £12,000-a-year utility bills allowance was also picked up by the taxpayer.

Four business-class return flights to New Zealand for her and her husband, plus two return economy flights a year for her children, were also part of her package.

The cost of all these flights would have cost about £55,000 a year.

The first version of the inquiry was set up in 2014 amid claims of an establishment cover-up following allegations that a paedophile ring operated in Westminster in the 1980s.

Baroness Butler-Sloss (left) and Dame Fiona Woolf (right) both stepped down from the role as head of the child sex abuse inquiry after concerns about their links to the establishment

The inquiry has been beset by delays and controversies since it was first announced by the then home secretary Theresa May.

Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down in July 2014 amid questions over the role played by her late brother, Lord Havers, who was attorney general in the 1980s.

ONE ABUSE INQUIRY BUT 13 DIFFERENT INVESTIGATIONS

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is to carry out 13 separate investigations:

Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster - This will be an 'overarching inquiry' into allegations of abuse and exploitation involving 'people of public prominence associated with Westminster'. It will examine high profile claims involving 'current or former' MPs, senior civil servants and members of the intelligence and security agencies.

The Roman Catholic Church - This will look into the extent of any institutional failures to protect children from abuse within the church in England and Wales.

The Anglican Church - This investigation will look at the extent of any institutional failures to protect children from abuse within the Anglican Church.

The internet - The inquiry will look into institutional responses to child sexual abuse and exploitation 'facilitated' by the internet. This will include investigations of the policies of internet firms.

Residential schools - This will investigate abuse and exploitation of children in residential schools in both the state and independent sector.

Nottinghamshire councils - This will look into the extent of any institutional failures to protect children in the care of Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire councils following allegations of widespread sexual abuse and exploitation.

Lambeth Council - This will examine the extent of any institutional failures to protect children after allegations of abuse in children's homes run by the London authority.

Lord Janner - This will look into allegations of child sex abuse against Lord Greville Janner. The peer, who died aged 87 in December, is alleged to have abused children over a period spanning more than 30 years.

Protection of children outside the UK - This will scrutinise 'grave allegations' that have emerged regarding abuse by individuals working for British institutions and organisations abroad.

Sexual abuse of children in custodial institutions - This will examine the scale of abuse within the secure estate for children and young people. The inquiry has identified Medomsley Youth Detention Centre, County Durham, as the first case study.

Child sexual exploitation by organised networks - This will focus on institutional responses to systematic grooming and sexual abuse of children by groups of offenders as seen in cities including Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford.

Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale - An inquiry into allegations of the sexual abuse and exploitation of children residing at or attending Cambridge House Boys' Hostel, Knowl View School, and other institutions where their placement was arranged or provided by Rochdale Borough Council.

Accountability and reparations for victims and survivors of abuse - This arm of the inquiry will focus on the support services and legal remedies available to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Her replacement Dame Fiona Woolf resigned following a barrage of criticism over her 'establishment links', most notably in relation to former home secretary Leon Brittan, who died in 2015.

Mrs May officially reconstituted the probe under Justice Goddard in March 2015 and placed it on a statutory footing, meaning it has the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

The inquiry's terms of reference say that its purpose includes considering 'the extent to which state and non-state institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation'. It covers England and Wales.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of The Children's Society, said: 'The crucial work of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse must not be derailed by the departure of the chair.

'The inquiry was established in order to identify the extent to which institutions across England and Wales have failed to protect children against sexual abuse over successive generations. For the sake of victims of abuse, it is important that progress is made quickly to appoint a new chair.

'However, there have now been three chairs appointed since the inquiry was first announced. Given this, it is equally important to ensure the new chair is the right person for the task ahead.'

A National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children spokesman said: 'Whatever the reasons for Judge Lowell Goddard's decision to stand down it is essential that the inquiry continues with minimum disruption and a replacement chair is found urgently.

'Victims and survivors have already waited too long to have their voices heard and for the abuse they suffered as children to be acknowledged and believed.'

Richard Scorer, specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon who represents more than 50 victims giving evidence at the inquiry, said: 'It is incredibly important for survivors that the inquiry continues so the truth is uncovered and their voices are finally heard. It is crucial that the Home Secretary appoints a new chair as soon as possible so this can happen.'

Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs committee, said the decision to quit was 'astonishing'.

He said: 'This is the third head of the inquiry who has now resigned.

'Serious questions need to be asked about why the Home Office has not monitored events more carefully.

'We will expect a full explanation from both the Prime Minister and the new Home Secretary about these matters. We need to examine again the remit, cost, purpose and ambition of what the inquiry was tasked with.'

One of the 13 strands of the inquiry looked it allegations against Lord Janner, who died aged 87 in December.

Some of Lord Janner's accusers have started civil proceedings to sue his estate, according to his son Daniel Janner QC.

Mr Janner told the Press Association: 'I was about to demand Justice Goddard's resignation as she had refused my application last week to adjourn the inquiry pending the civil proceedings.

'The obscenity of a proxy prosecution against a dead and innocent man who cannot defend himself must stop.

'This is a manifestation of a national frenzy. My late father is not an institution and Goddard was set up to look at institutional failings.

'We are not even given the right to cross-examine in the Goddard inquiry which is why we refused to participate.

'We now seek justice in the civil proceedings.'

DAME LOWELL GODDARD'S STATEMENT AFTER RESIGNING

'The conduct of any public inquiry is not an easy task, let alone one of the magnitude of this.

'Compounding the many difficulties was its legacy of failure which has been very hard to shake off and, with hindsight, it would have been better to have started completely afresh.

'While it has been a struggle in many respects, I am confident there have been achievements and some very real gains for victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in getting their voices heard.

'I have nothing but the greatest of respect for the victims and survivors, and have particularly enjoyed working with the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel which I established.'

Dame Lowell stated her resignation was 'with immediate effect' as she quit in a resignation letter to Home Secretary Amber Rudd on Thursday afternoon.

In her statement, Dame Lowell recalls having thought long and hard before taking on the crucial role.

This included 'careful' top-level talks with senior legal and political officials, both in Britain and New Zealand, about it.

She did not give full details about her departure but stated: 'I decided that I should undertake the role, given my relevant experience and track record in the area.

'It was, however, an incredibly difficult step to take, as it meant relinquishing my career in New Zealand and leaving behind my beloved family.'

The scale of child abuse is revealed for the first time as data reveals more than 500,000 women were 'raped' as children

Almost 600,000 women were raped as children, official data revealed today in the first study of its kind.

The Office for National Statistics said 567,000 women aged 16 to 59 suffered 'sexual assault by rape or penetration' as minors. Around 102,000 men in the same age bracket were also attacked.

The data, drawn from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, reveals one in 14 of all adults in England and Wales was sexually abused as a child.

The findings came after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) introduced new questions about childhood abuse in the survey for 2016, which was released on Thursday.

The Office for National Statistics said 567,000 women aged 16 to 59 suffered 'sexual assault by rape or penetration' as minors

Javed Khan, the Barnardo's chief executive, said: 'The sheer scale of those who reported witnessing or being abused as children is utterly staggering. It is everyone's responsibility to keep children safe.'

Apart from sexual abuse, 9 per cent of adults who took part in the survey said they had suffered psychological abuse and 7 per cent physical abuse. Some 8 per cent said they had witnessed domestic violence or abuse at home.

Other than in physical abuse cases, women were 'significantly' more likely to report they had been an abuse victim than men, the ONS report found.